Originally
released on vinyl through Tunesmith Records (other bands on the label were
Barnabas and Servant) back in 1982, New York band Stronghold’s album
“Fortress Rock” was the band’s first and also last album ever brought out.
Name of their game can be described as Christian Rock / Hard Rock with a late
seventies progressive, sometimes psychedelic undertone. This effort proved no
attention from the majority of labels and press, it wasn’t a success at all,
even the name of the band was misunderstood. For those who believed in God, a
‘stronghold’ was a negative thing even though the bible made plenty of
references in the Psalms and elsewhere to God being our ‘stronghold’.In addition, the band had in the beginning of existence also to do with
the fact that Christian Rock / Metal wasn’t that strong as it became
throughout the next following years. Another drawback for Stronghold but anyhow,
these four musicians went on as good as they could. While acting for a live
audience, they firstly played nothing but cover songs - later on they offered
their own songs to the present people.

Born
Twice Records re-released this must discussed Stronghold album entitled
“Fortess Rock” a while ago (March 2012). Hereby, the album gets a second
chance to see daylight and I guess that nowadays, a lot more people will accept
their music no matter what happened in the past. Let us remain in good spirits
and admit that the album is actually a very good work made for the older
generation of obscure Classic Rock music. Released as a six panel digipack,
it’s an album that belongs to the “Legends Remastered Series”…
meanwhile, we reached Volume Six and from now on, I will look forward to all the
other unique / rare products the label still going to release.

Stronghold’s
“Fortess Rock” contains 8 songs and let me be clear right away – these are
one by one made for people really like their stuff very old school and obscure.
Their music sounds obscure to give me a seventies Rock / Hard Rock feel with
progressive and psychedelic vibes – you gotta be open-minded to enjoy the
entire album. The keyboards and vocoder (voice) effects mainly bring on the dark
and doomy feel, the song structures at times to sound bizar but that’s the way
Stronghold is all about… original/unique to the bone! I hear influences from
older Pink Floyd, Bad Company, Mountain, Rush, Black Sabbath, Jethro Tull, Iron
Butterfly.

As
mentioned before, “Fortess Rock” means very old school in the true meaning
of its expression. Feels kinda unusual, weird of strange at some periods but in
the end, although it’s a perfect rebirth of a much appreciating album
reflecting the character of many legends who belong to the vintage Rock / Hard
Rock scene. A precious product who gets a special place among the rest of my CD
collection! Never think you’re too old to Rock’n Roll - order your own copy
at:http://www.myspace.com/borntwicerecords